Why We Plays

In poker, the rush and challenge of going deep in a tournament is unmatched. Not to belittle cash games, but oftentimes 1 brain-fart late can and will be the end of you in tournament poker. The worst part is, it doesn't even have to be your mistake. If your paying attention, something like this has probably happened at almost every table you've sat at.

Person A can play a hand perfectly, make Person B make a horrible call/raise only to suckout and win the hand. And since the only cure for a suckout is one of your own, Person A continues to shove something he or she obviously shouldn't be. In other words, Person A quit.

Of course there's something to be said about the # of BB's you have but all too often defeat is conceded at a tournament table. Amazingly, this sort of thing is even seen on the biggest stage as I'd like to remember some clown pushing every hand at the WSOP ME bubble. European if I recall; which doesn't surprise me in the least bit.

Moral of the story: don't quit I guess.

I bring this up because in my own poker adventures, lately it seems like heading into the 120/240 (25 ante) level Full Tilt won't allow me to have more then 3500 chips. 3 tournies I'd like to bring up specifically being yesterday's afternoon 50k and nighttime 65k, along with the Sunday weekly 750k.

Heading into the 3rd hour of these tournies I was at the stage of waiting for a hand to push. Yesterday, I was fortunately dealt some big hands at this time which allowed to me hang in there and play more poker. I grinded my way to the FT of the 50k but made a quick departure as my AK couldn't hold off an AT that had to call my all in.

I made it to about 4 or 5 tables left in the 65k and eventually pushed my KQo in MP only to be insta-called by what I think was an A3, (I now usually don't watch when I'm allin in a big spot as being sucked out on usually makes me lose more money elsewhere). All I saw was a board of 9 3 T rainbow, with more worthless cards on the turn and river, and that the villain won with a pair of 3's. Sweet dude, nice call.

And for the 750k, I've been holding back a big ol whine for some time now as on the bubble at the 400/800 level, I was in the BB and after everyone folded to the SB who made it 2400 to play, I made it 6200 with my KK, he shoves his stack with 99, and I lose a pot worth about 45 BB's with a 9 on the flop. But my time will come with the big Sunday tournies, I won't allow for it not to.

OK, this was somewhat of a rant but I hope something useful came out of it. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Holidays.